Fryeburg hit with string of burglaries, attempted car thefts

FRYEBURG, Maine — Police are asking residents in East Fryeburg to be “hyper-vigilant” after four break-ins, one car theft and three attempted car thefts since Monday.

In one case, thieves hit the same house twice.

“We’re used to a quiet neighborhood,” said Detective Sgt. Joshua Potvin.

On Saturday morning, a homeowner on Sanborn Road interrupted a break-in at around 6 a.m. after hearing noise downstairs, Potvin said. One or more people had forced open a basement window, then grabbed a purse and two sets of car keys.

With the help of a Maine State Police dog, the purse was recovered, minus cash, and the keys were found in the driveway.

“They were either dropped fleeing or they just didn’t mean to drop them, or they tried to get in and it was taking too long,” Potvin said. “We don’t know.”

On Monday, Harvest Hills Animal Shelter was broken into with thieves removing the building’s electrical meter and disabling security cameras but unable to disable the alarm.

“We got there within minutes,” Potvin said.

Police found damage to electrical, phone and cable wires, and the shelter’s van keys were stolen.

“Harvest Hills actually had their van re-keyed [since],” he said.

On Wednesday, one or more people entered a home on Elkins Brook Road through an unlocked door, stole personal belongings, stole keys to a Subaru Outback and moved the car in the driveway.

On Thursday, they returned, went in the house again and drove off with the car.

“We had to let [the homeowners] know their vehicle was stolen,” Potvin said. “We woke them up and told them; they had no idea.”

Police found it down the road, undamaged.

Police are following leads and suspect the burglaries are related.

“We’ve been going door to door and advising people to be hyper-vigilant and call us with any suspicious activity at all,” Potvin said. “We want people just to be extra-sensitive to people on foot, vehicles, which is tough this time of year.

“This morning, there’s vehicles all over the place. It’s the first day of hunting season. It’s tough, but I would rather go investigate each vehicle that they call in than go to another reported home invasion.”

Anyone with information about the burglaries is being asked to call Potvin at 935-3323.